Confessions of an Assassin and a God
by Unknownnobody32
Summary: It's obvious Natasha and Thor have been protecting a secret. By influence of Tony's insinuations, the rest of the Avengers begin to suspect it's a relationship they are keeping hidden. Meanwhile, Clint swears he is only upset about their lying, but in reality he seems more jealous than anything. Will they ever uncover what the assassin and Thunder god are hiding?
1. Moody Assassin

"Has anyone seen Nat around the tower?" Clint asked as he waited for Tony and Bruce to square away the remainder of their project in the lab. The three were about to leave the lab floor with plans to meet Thor in the dining hall for a late lunch. Take-out had already been ordered and was waiting for them there.

Tony answered after telling JARVIS to shut off the lights. "She and Cap got called into SHIELD about an hour ago. Don't ask me why, because after hearing Maria mention paperwork, I pretty much zoned out."

"Why, ya miss her already?" He added mischievously, after noting Clint's disappointed expression.

As he led the way out toward the elevators, Clint chose to ignore the remark and instead replied, "We _were_ supposed to do some training exercises today."

"The one she's been putting off lately?" Bruce inquired, removing his glasses and relocating them in his shirt pocket.

"Those are the ones. I guess we'll find time to do 'em later. Uh, did you want to go to Thor's floor first?" Clint questioned upon reaching the elevators.

Once the elevator doors slid closed, Tony tapped the touch key corresponding to the dining hall floor. "Nah, I'm sure Hammer Time will have no trouble remembering any gathering involving food. Let's just hope he hasn't eaten it all, shall we?"

Tony was right about Thor already being on the appropriate floor, but thankfully he hadn't started eating before his comrades arrived. The four men enjoyed a good meal in each other's company. After they were done and in the process of cleaning up, they were interrupted by Natasha storming through the halls with Steve hot on her hills.

"Agent Romanoff!" Steve was calling after her.

She spun around at the entry to the dining hall and reigned in a glare at him with arms crossed over her chest.

"Agent Hill needs you to come in for debriefing, tomorrow. Be there."

She says nothing but offers a curt nod in acknowledgment before turning back around and heading toward the refrigerator.

Steve sighs exasperatedly and sits down.

Tony leaned in toward him and asked quietly, "What's with the authoritative voice, Cap? Lady solider out of line?"

"I had to use it more than once today. I ask her something or tell her to do something and she barely responds. It was as if she's been practically ignoring everyone all day. She was so sullen when we came in, but no one at SHIELD cared as long as she did what she was supposed to do."

"Hey Steve, we saved you some take-out. Want any?" Bruce placed a soda in front of the Captain.

"Thanks, Dr. Banner. And yes I'd love some. I'm starved."

"So Natasha's acting deadlier than usual then?" Tony pressed.

Steve goes on, lowering his voice even more, "Well, I'll definitely say she's not her usually focused self. Agent Hill told me she's been trying to get her to come in for that debriefing since last week regarding the mission you, Clint, and her were involved with. "

Tony shrugged, "But I haven't attended debriefing for that mission either."

"Yea but that's normal for you, Tony." Steve answered with an almost undetectable smirk.

Meanwhile, Clint had trailed behind Natasha as she went to grab a water bottle out the fridge.

"Hey Nat. Nat? NATASHA!"

"WHAT!?" Natasha shouted once she twisted around to face him head on.

Everyone in the room quieted and Clint cleared his throat.

"I missed you for training exercises today."

"Yea so?"

"I've been missing you for them this entire week! We have to get them done sometimes, Nat."

"Alright fine, they'll get done. Just get off my back, Barton." She brushed pass him toward the exit, leaving a confused Clint in her wake, but suddenly Tony was blocking her path.

With an obnoxious grin, he jested, "And what's with the 'tude, Kim Possible? Is it PMS or maybe…"

"MOVE!" Natasha cut him off harshly before he could finish and nearly shoved him out of her way.

"Lady Natasha." Thor addressed her gently before she could make it further down the exiting hall.

She turned to him with a scowl, but her expression softened upon seeing his pleasant disposition.

"Yes, Thor?"

"I was on my way to another region of the Towers. Would it at all be agreeable for you if I was allowed to share your elevator?"

The clutch on her water bottle appeared to loosen a bit as she replied, "Of course. C'mon, I don't mind."

"I am much obliged." Thor nods his appreciation and goes to walk beside her.

"Lady Natasha, might I inquire about your well-being? You seem a trifle…" The last part of Thor's question faded out as the two proceeded down the hall.

"I hope she doesn't bite the poor guy's head off in the elevator," remarked Bruce as he took a seat across from Steve.

"Talk about no escape." Tony shakes his head, "Wow, I've never seen her claws out like they were today."

"Well you didn't help much with your derisive comments, Tony." Steve said after swallowing a mouthful of food.

"They weren't 'derisive'." Tony denies, using air quotes on Steve's word choice, "It was meant to be a joke to lighten the mood."

"I doubt jokes will help her. I hate to say it, but Nat's been off her game for a while. And she has been constantly in a sour mood these last couple of weeks as well." Clint admitted.

"Yes I've noticed." said Steve.

"I think we all have." Bruce added. "But whatever is behind it, I hope she finds a way to let that go and return to normal."


	2. Missing the Meeting

_A few days later…_

Everyone else was present for the Avengers' meeting except Thor and Natasha. Right about now they are each glad Fury was on hold from across another computer screen instead of in the room with them demanding to get on with business.

"Where the hell are they?!" Clint was saying, looking at the digital wall clock.

"I don't know, but if neither shows in five, I'm taking the video feed off hold and letting Fury proceed with the meeting before he blows a fuse." Tony answered, impatiently flicking his pen against the desk.

Steve looks up from the file he was scanning, "Earlier I saw Thor stop at Natasha's suite. Maybe they are together."

Tony raised his eyebrow and Clint began to say, "Why would he even…" before both Thor and Natasha burst through the door.

"We apologize for our tardiness, friends." Thor says as he takes a seat in between Bruce and Tony.

Natasha is behind him and actually delivers a smile toward her fellow Avengers.

"Yea, sorry about that. We're here now so let's get to it."

She takes a seat next to a relieved looking Clint, but when Bruce across from her gives her a lengthened second glance, she asks, "What's wrong, Dr. Banner?"

"Feeling alright, Natasha? You seem quite flushed. Are you running a fever perhaps?"

Natasha self-consciously wipes her palm across her brow and then lowers her eyes. From across the table, Thor takes a suspiciously long sip from his water glass.

Clint reaches over to feel her wrist. "Your pulse is really jumping too. Did you run here?"

"I probably just worked up a sweat by taking the stairs." She offers.

"Why on earth would you do that on the way to a meeting you're late for?" Steve had to ask.

At this point, Thor starts almost frantically flipping through the folder before him .

"You looking for something, Stormy?" Tony directs at him.

Thor, once glancing up to Natasha and noticing what could only be identified as her elusive warning look, shakes his head no before abandoning the folder for another long sip of water.

Natasha looks down toward her own folder then answers, "For the work out, Cap. And I lost track of time. Shall we continue?"

"Uhh sure." Tony says, looking deeply amused. "JARVIS resume the video feed."


	3. Stark's Lightening Rod Theory

_Several days later in the Rec room..._

Steve finally comments ten minutes into the first movie, "I can't believe Thor is late for movie night. He finds earth movies rather amusing, so he's usually the first one here."

"Well I wanna know what happened to Nat! She picked this movie out and now she's letting us watch it without her?"

"Here's your popcorn guys." Tony says, handing out the bowls. "And I say let her get away from the rest of us for a while. It seems to make her less likely to go psycho on us. Anyone else notice?"

"Her moods have appeared to show greater improvement. She's smiling more too." Bruce agrees.

"And that's good and all, but for some reason Nat's recent pleasantness has been paired with her more frequent disappearing acts." Clint said in between bites of popcorn.

"Speaking of the lovely assassin… Hey! We were missing the estrogen of the group. Where you been?"

Natasha walks in looking a bit frazzled, but smiles at Tony and says, "I was in my suite, working out, and didn't notice the time. Move over Barton."

Clint made room for her, yet scrunched up his noise once she sat as if he got a whiff of something odd.

"Well it must have been one hell of a work out. Your hair looks like you've stuck your hand in a socket." Comments Tony.

Her fingers instantly go up to her head and she tries to smooth her red locks.

"Damn Nat, why do you smell like burnt toast?" Clint finally asks her, and he leans in to get a good sniff of her hair.

Tony jokes, " What were you, struck by lightning?"

Natasha bats Clint away and opens her mouth to reply, but remains silent when she sees Thor stride in.

She looks relieved to say instead, "Oh look there's Thor. Let me fill him in on the movie synopsis so he won't get too confused." Then Natasha bolts off the couch and pulls Thor aside before he can reach the sitting area.

"Thor! I know I told you otherwise, but I think you might need to go easy on me. Just look at my hair!" Natasha was saying in a hushed tone. Thor glanced behind her at the rest of the Avengers who were oh-so-obviously eavesdropping. Apparently her hushed tones weren't quite hushed enough. Natasha turns around and notices the audience. She displays a weak smile toward them and pulls Thor further into a corner.

"Did you hear that?" Tony whispers conspiratorially.

"Something about going easy on her… I don't think I understand…" Steve trailed off.

"I believe it would be plausible to say there is something peculiar going on involving her and Thor. Said Bruce.

"What could possibly be going on?" Clint looked incredulous.

"Don't be too quick to brush it off, Birdie." Tony gestured toward Thor and Natasha still talking quietly in the corner. "Look at 'em. She heads him off at the pass. Tells him to take it 'easy on her.' Then those two have been disappearing at the same time all this week. Even her moods have been improving."

"Just what are you implying, Stark." Clint asks brusquely.

"That maybe our favorite female assassin is getting her fill of Lightening Rod."

Clint clinches his jaw in irritation about the insinuation, but Bruce just grimaces at the terribly used double innuendo.

"Have you any tact, Tony?" Steve reprimands.

"Never found a use for it. I do find value in sarcasm and bluntness."

"Not your most redeeming qualities." Grumbles Steve.

Tony chuckles, but continues, "All I'm saying is that something is going on between those two and they're just trying to keep it a secret. Mark my words."

On that note, both Natasha and Thor rejoined the group. The film was restarted and it was a generally fun night, but even Clint noticed that Thor was strangely quiet. Tony would later describe it as Thor's version of acting sheepish.


	4. Peculiar Bruises

_Two days afterward in one of Stark's hummer limos..._

"Here's to the new and redesigned armory floor." Tony was saying as he opened a champagne bottle.

After pouring it around,every Avenger raised their glasses and took their respective sips.

"It looked awesome, Tony. What do you think, Nat?" Clint nudged Natasha at his right, making her shawl drop from her shoulders.

"Oh yes, it was definitely amazing. Everything at our finger tips." She began.

"Natasha!" Steve exclaimed, leaning toward her from his seat on the opposite side of the limo.

"What wrong?" Bruce asked, curious.

"These bruises on her." Steve softly touched dark marks on Natasha's upper arms and shoulders. "They look fresh. What happened?"

Concerned, Clint turned to examine Natasha, as she visibly flustered.

Thor looked over at Natasha with regret in his eyes, but she refused to meet his gaze.

"Oh, um it just got a little intense when I was working out again I guess… training."

"Is that what they're calling it these days?" Tony mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear.

Clint sent a dirty look in Tony's direction and then said to Natasha, "You sure've been working out a lot lately."

"Yea well it doesn't hurt to get in extra solo training."

"Solo?!" Steven interjected, clearly surprised the bruises were a result of a lone training session.

"It looks like it's been hurting you. What the hell, Nat? These almost look like hand impressions!" Clint blurted out, but before he could assess any more damage, she pulled her shawl around her to obscure them.

"Will there be Shawarma at this restaurant?" Thor abruptly asks nobody in particular.

Tony smirked toward Clint, though he answered Thor with a straight face. "Probably not big guy, but trust me you'll love eating fancy cuisine food just as well."

To ease the apparent awkwardness, Bruce followed the change in discussion. "I'm sure everyone's hungry, so it's fortunate we are almost there."

"Yep, especially Natasha with all the working out she's been doing these days. I bet you've been craving a lot of _large_ helpings lately, right darling?" Tony grinned wickedly Natasha's way as he rearranged his tie.

She begrudgingly replied, "Sure Stark."

Clint just sat glowering quietly at the oversized Thunder god.


	5. Bypassing Privacy Mode

_The next day within the laboratory levels ...  
_

"Clint, touch one more thing and so help me I'll throw you out and have JARVIS keep you out 'till me and Bruce are done." Tony scrambled to take whatever object Clint was prodding out of his reach.

"I'm sorry I'm just bored. Natasha was supposed to have another training exercise with me today yet she bailed… again. So I've changed my plans. I was wondering if you two wanted to go out to eat or something."

"Sure Clint, maybe when we're done." Bruce says looking up from his work to smile at Clint.

"Great so I'll just stick around then Tony 'till…"

"Oh no you don't." But before Tony could succeed in pushing Clint out of the lab, Steve burst through the doors looking tense.

"Have any of you seen Natasha!"

"Nope." Clint supplied.

"Yea what's new there. Why, she late for something with you too?" Tony asked.

"I was just at SHIELD and Agent Hill informed me that Natasha must be ignoring her calls or something because she _still_ hasn't been debriefed on that mission I mentioned days ago. I'm about to drag her to the conference room so she can at least get debriefed over video feed, if I can locate her."

"It seems Natasha is still a bit distracted these days, doesn't it?" Bruce observed.

"At least she's not sending out death glares anymore. And Capsicle, I can help you find our resident Female Fatale. JARVIS?" Tony addressed his trusty AI.

"Yes sir?" JARVIS replied.

"Please locate Miss Romanoff for me."

"Agent Romanoff is within her suite, sir."

"Good… uh what is she doing JARVIS?" Tony couldn't help but ask.

A crack of thunder crashes out of nowhere and everyone jumps.

"Where'd that come from?" Bruce wonders out loud.

But JARVIS is unfazed, "I regret to inform, sir, that I must refrain from alerting you of her activities due to the fact that she has enacted privacy mode."

"Privacy Mode? Damn my genius for developing that." Tony curses as a flash of lightening outside the window comes frighteningly close to the tower.

"Does privacy mode prevent her from getting calls or something?" Steve asked.

"No, it just doesn't allow me to look on her security video feed or ask about her goings-on within her suite.

"That's weird. Why would she be up there in privacy mode?"

"I don't know, Clint, but I gotta good idea who she's up there with. JARVIS please report to me if Natasha has visitors."

"I am sorry, sir, that would override privacy mode."

"Damn! Wait…wait I can get around this."

"Tony, don't. If she wants whatever it is she's doing to remain private, let her be. I'll contact her later."

"Sorry Spangly, I just gotta prove a point here. JARVIS?"

"Yes sir."

Tony grins fiendishly before commanding, "Please locate Thor for me."

JARVIS takes his time to report the answer during a very notable pause which would almost cause one to believe he was considering the consequence of answering. "Thor is in Natasha's suite, sir."

"AHA!" Tony said all too eagerly.

Clint stays quiet but becomes red in the face.

"Well… there is probably a good explanation for why he's up there, right?" Bruce asks into the air in an attempt to soothe Clint's distress.

He receives no answer, except for a silent shrug from Steve.

Tony, now on a role, at last asks JARVIS, "Tell me what Thor is doing at this moment, JARVIS."

"I apologize again, sir, but that would also conflict with Natasha's enacted…"

"Privacy mode. Yea yea I got it." Tony replied in monotone.


	6. Stormy Weather

_During the next week, within the lounge in Clint's suite..._

"Natasha seems to have gotten over her foul mood."

"That's obvious, Stark."

"And looks like it's contagious. What's wrong, Feathers?"

"I'm just not too fond of the idea of Nat keeping secrets from us."

"You mean Natasha _and_ Thor keeping secrets from _you_."

"Look Tony, do you wanna finish our card game or talk rumors involving those two."

"Alright alright. What if I talk about something inconspicuous, like the weather." Tony begins innocently while playing a card.

"The weather?"

"Yep. How about those freak thunder storms over Stark towers these last couple of days?"

Clint eyed Tony suspiciously behind his hand of cards. "What makes you think it was over the towers specifically?"

"I checked with JARVIS. The thunder and lightning both were centered directly above this building. It always happened around the time Thor and Natasha were conveniently missing, hasn't it?"

Vexed yet again, Clint throws his hand of cards down, obviously ending the game. "_Now_ what are you getting at, Stark?"

Tony sets down his own hand of cards gently.

"I'm implying that something must have caused our friendly neighborhood Thunder god to lose a grip on his powers. Maybe he was, ya know, enjoying his 'work out' with a little company." He proclaimed with a wink.

"Tony, I'm warning you." Clint says around ground teeth.

"I'm sorry pal, but it's probably true." He stands and pats Clint affably on the back before walking away, "Call me when you've quit swimming in denial. Oh and whenever you want to finish our game."

Clint did not look amused.


	7. The Elevator Confrontation

_Several hours later…_

Clint was on the elevators alone until Thor and Steve walked on together.

"Thanks for agreeing to spar with me, Thor." Steve was saying.

"Do not mention it, Captain. It was a pleasure to battle with another matching my strengths."

Clint looks up, sees them both, and pointedly chooses to ignore Thor's presence. "Hey Cap."

"Hiya Clint. Heading to the Dining Halls?"

"Yep."

"Pleasant seeing you, Barton." Thor said genially.

Clint presents Thor with a severe glare, though he says nothing.

Obviously uncomfortable with the evident tension, Steve shifts his stance,

Thor frowns confused, but tries again, hoping the subject of Natasha would make Clint more open to conversation. "Lady Natasha had intentions of reminding you of this earlier, though in her absence I find it considerate to inform you she wishes to partake in training exercises with you tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh, so she finally finds time for them now? Who'd think she'd even want to with all the energy she's spent 'working out' and 'training' all by herself in 'privacy mode.' I bet you wouldn't know anything about that, would you Thor? And it's funny how you conveniently were graced with her presence when she told you that, especially since it's impossible for the rest of us to even find her lately." Clint muttered bitterly.

"I believe there is a misunderstanding, Barton. Lady Natasha informed me and the Captain of this when we came upon her in the place of weaponry…"

"Is that another story she told you to cover with!?" Clint spits out, interrupting Thor mid-sentence,

Thor, unmistakably remorseful, looked like he'd been slapped.

"Clint…" Steve finally says in a low voice.

"Barton it pains me to admit…" Thor begins before getting talked over yet again.

"Oh come off it already!" Clint yells, ignoring Steve. "And just tell Nat if she needs to tell me something, she can come find me herself." Clint taps a button that makes the elevator come to a full stop and then tramples off on a floor he didn't originally intend to be on. The elevator closes and continues its journey upward, leaving Thor and Steve in silence.

Steve places an arm on Thor's shoulder briefly. "I'm so sorry about that, Thor. He really should have had more respect toward his fellow teammate. I'll talk to Clint later."

"Of course, Captain. It has come to my attention that he has been turning increasingly abrasive towards me as of late."

Steve glanced at Thor. He couldn't just let this go, so he says mildly, "You do know why, don't you?"

Thor averts his eyes and is uncharacteristically quiet.

Steve sighs, "He's offended because he thinks you and Natasha are involved but are keeping your relationship hidden. Now I don't know about the romance rumor, but I do know something strange is going on with you two. Do you deny it?"

They stop on the dining hall floor and the doors open, but Thor remains on the elevator.

"Captain, I wish I could be forthright about everything, but I regret to say I have been sworn to secrecy by Lady Natasha. I hope you can understand."

"Not quite…but I guess I understand keeping a promise."

Thor nods, looking a bit more at ease. "Indeed. I thank ye for allowing me to keep this private for now." The Thunderer gestures toward the open elevator, "After you, Captain."

Steve offers Thor a small smile before stepping out before his companion.


	8. Rules of Eavesdropping

_Early the next morning..._

Tony is in one of his many office rooms sipping coffee with Bruce as they wait for JARVIS to print some documents. Steve, who had joined their conversation not too long ago, leans on the desk and asks, "So do you really think those two are... fondu-ing?"

Tony snorts. "What-ing…?"

"Um …fooling around." Steve clarifies awkwardly.

"Oh... Yes I do. I mean look at all the evidence, Spangly." Tony props his legs across the desk and stretches. "Plus Bruce spied something that makes an interesting addition to my suspicions. Elaborate Bruce?"

"It was just something I thought I heard after I had left Thor in the Lab. I was gone for a short time, but when I returned Natasha was there, talking with Thor." Bruce took another sip of his coffee.

" Ya know, why not a little show and tell, Cap? JARVIS! Bring down the video screen and pull up the footage we just mentioned."

"As you wish, sir." Jarvis obediently complies.

Steve walks around to their side of the desk eying the slim screen currently rolling down from a compartment in the ceiling, " Wow Stark, you have a screen installed in this ceiling?"

"I have screens installed pretty much everywhere around here. " Tony answers with a shrug. "Anyways… now mind you the first part of Thor and Natasha's conversation was reasonably normal, but where it gets interesting is what Bruce witnessed coming back into the room."

The video begins and it is clear that Thor and Natasha are in the lab.

Thor says, "Lady Natasha, I must journey to Asgard to fulfill certain duties after the next several days. I shall return in short order, but I do wonder how you will fair without it?"

"Oh don't worry about me Thor. I'm sure I'll be fine with you gone." Natasha reassures him. "I don't really need to as much anymore, but I've fallen in the habit with you because it's actually kinda fun. I'll miss it of course, but I'll find another means to gain the same effect if I really need to. Maybe Clint can actually help."

"I am pleased to hear this. I am also certain Barton would be more than happy to ..."

Bruce, who has been spotted in the video at the lab's entryway, clears his throat.

Natasha's startled look disappears as quickly as it surfaces, "Dr. Banner!" She manages gracefully.

Aloud, Steve mulls the dialogue over after the video is paused, "How will she fair without 'it'? And she is going to miss _what_ exactly?"

"Trust me, I have a few ideas, but we'd know for sure if Honest Abe over here hadn't thought it would be a brilliant time to make his presence known." Tony cut his eyes at Bruce.

"Hey, I was uncomfortable hearing all of that."

Tony gives Bruce a look, not buying his defense. "Why didn't you suck it up, shut your trap, and find out more?"

"Because I felt as if I was listening to something not meant for my ears in the first place."

"That's exactly the reason why you should have listened in! Duh. It's an unspoken rule of eavesdropping."

Bruce just rolled his eyes.

Yet, out of view from all three of them, Clint was against the wall getting his very own earful. Now feeling the unease of a rising temper overcome him, Clint walks away quietly and decides to go to the roof to clear his head.


	9. Subtlety Wasn't His Intention

_The following few days ..._

Tony is waiting for the elevator when it opens to reveal Thor.

"Oh hey there big guy. You're just the god I was looking for. Bruce wants you down in the lab. Something about turning the hammer over so he can deliver more tests."

"Ah, indeed I have allowed Dr. Banner to inspect Mjölnir for the cause of science."

"So I'll take it you'll be there?"

Thor hesitates slightly before replying, "I will be there shortly."

"Great. Well now all I have to do is find Natasha so I can tell her that her new weapons have been delivered."

"I was on my …" Thor begins but starts anew, "I mean to say that it is on my way, so perhaps I can give her the message."

"Yea sure just tell her it's on the armory floor waiting to be unwrapped by her delicate yet deadly fingers."

Clint who was just coming down the halls overheard this.

"Nat's weapons are here?"

"Oh hey Legolas. Yea Blondie here just volunteered to tell her, so that means I can go back to my drink. " Tony turns around and is about to allow the elevator door to close without him.

"Wait!" Clint extends his hand to stop the elevator and levels Thor with a dark look. "No need to make an extra stop, Thor. I'll tell her." He says coolly.

Thor appears a bit conflicted but says, "If you are certain."

"Very." Clint's jaw clenches in a show of restraint.

"Of course, as you desire."

"Perfect. But I think I'll take a separate elevator if you don't mind."

Thor takes the hint and nods respectfully before Clint removes his hand from the elevator door allowing it to close with Thor inside.

"Ouch Barton. Way to be subtle." Tony lightly admonishes once the elevator has long gone and left them both behind.

Clint gives Tony a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, "Being subtle wasn't my intention, Stark."

"Okay then… and that's my cue to go." Tony mumbles before making his way back in the direction he came.

* * *

When Clint makes it to Natasha's suite and knocks at her door, he hears her call out,"Come in! I'm just about to change."

He opens the door and steps inside cautiously. She's in another room and says, "I was waiting for you awhile and I almost didn't think you'd make it. But I'm glad you're here because I really need to…"

Natasha enters the room smiling, though her smile instantly drops when she notices it's Clint. Here it becomes obvious that she was surprised it was him standing there instead of someone else.

"Oh Clint! What are you doing here?"

"Here to tell ya your weapons have been delivered. They're on the armory floor as usual."

"Right. Thanks Barton, I was looking forward to that all week."

"Hmm really, cuz it looks like you were looking forward to someone else being here."

"I don't think I follow." She answers slowly, her expression becoming a neutral mask.

Clint takes a survey of her suite, looking for evidence of what he suspected. "You weren't waiting for someone else to meet you up here? You were talking when I came in."

"Actually I figured Stark would be up to tell me about the weapons. According to him, he likes telling me personally since he gets a kick out of seeing the glee in my face." Natasha adds with a forced smile.

"Stark? C'mon Nat. Be honest with me for a change. Are you trying to tell me you weren't expecting a tall teammate of ours who's buff, blond, and blue-eyed?"

Too innocently Natasha questions, "Who Steve?"

Clint narrows his eyes at her in disbelief.

"No, the Captain hasn't really been in this part of the Tower for quite a while. And now he has no reason to run me down, since I finally did that damned debriefing with Agent Hill yesterday afternoon." Natasha made a face at the mention of it.

Finally, in a dejected tone, Clint says, "Whatever you say, Nat."

She smiles again at him, but this time more genuine… or maybe it was in sympathy. "Just give me a few, Clint. I'll put on something more practical and we can try out my new weapons together. How 'bout it?" Without giving him a chance to agree, she brushes pass him gently and with a light touch of her hand on his shoulder, walks away from him to change clothes.


	10. Inquiring Minds

The Avengers were all gathering in the rec room as it was movie night yet again.

"Do you have the hot wings, Bruce?"

"Yea they're here, Tony." Bruce said upon entering the room.

"Awesome. Wait Cap, put the sodas over here. Where's the DVD, Clint? Clint? Yo Hawkfeathers?!"

Clint jumped out of his reverie. "What!?"

"The DVD, Barton, I think you're sitting on it." Bruce supplied as he motioned beneath Clint.

"Oh…" Abashed, Clint handed Bruce the DVD which was thankfully protected by its case.

" 'Oh' " Tony mocks him, "Where is your head tonight, Clint? You keep zoning out and the movie hasn't even started yet."

"Natasha and Thor are missing again." He simply states, creating the most awkward silence in the history of awkward silences.

"I'm sure they'll be here, Clint." Steve begins softly, "Let's just wait a few minutes."

"NO!" Clint shoots up from his seat. "NO! I'm tired of waiting for them and I'm tired of waiting on them to come out of the shadows about all this crap. Once and for all I'm putting an end to all of this. I'm going to catch them and have things finally out in the open." Clint brushes pass Tony and makes for the exit.

"I don't think that's the best…" Tony starts, but after being ignored he shrugs, "If you can't beat 'em , join 'em. Wait up!"

Steve watches in horror as Tony up and follows Clint. "This is a really bad idea. What if he does catch them and he gets the uncontrollable urge to pick a fight with Thor?"

"That's very likely. Clint's been on edge in recent days." Bruce said in support of Steve's assumption.

"Maybe I should go with them to stop any impending disasters. You might want to stay behind, Dr. Banner. If something unexpected does happen, it might be a bit stressful to say the least."

"That's probably a wise idea, Captain, but an inquiring mind has got to know."

So Bruce follows Steve in chase of Tony and Clint.

* * *

When the four of them reached Natasha's floor, Clint marched off the elevator towards her door.

Violently jiggling the door handle, he exclaims frustrated. "It's locked."

"Well of course it is." Tony answers.

"Unlock it, Tony." Clint growls at him.

"Okay fine, JARVIS, open the doors."

They hear a click and Clint pulls the handle , rushing into the room.  
"Ah ha, I knew you two were up…" He quiets, examining the empty room. He heads to the back and starts searching other rooms.

"Clint…" Steve says, face aflame. "I don't think we should be here."

Deaf to Steve's plea, Clint says, "They've gotta be around. Check the bathroom and kitchen area, Tony. I'll check the bedroom."

Bruce scrubs his face with his hand and sits down on one of the nearby couches.

A few minutes later, Tony comes out to the main room. All he says is, " Empty."

"They aren't in the bedroom either." Clint sounds thwarted.

"Funny… that would have been my first guess." Tony notes almost to himself.

"Stark!" Clint warns with a sharp glare. He sighs and then says more calmly. "Just please, please locate them."

Tony nods a tad solemnly and calls out, "JARVIS, locate Thor and Natasha please, and if you say that'll conflict privacy mode, I swear on my alcohol cabinets that I'll strip your circuit boards."

JARVIS makes no argument this time, "Sir, they are not in the living quarters of Natasha's suite, but in the training wing."

"In the gym, hmm … kinky." Tony wisecracks.

"That's on the other side of this floor. Look Clint, maybe they are just working out together and we should leave it at that." Steve suggests rationally.

"Oh no. We aren't using that lame ass 'working out' excuse for those two again." Clint shakes his head. "Now if we take the other elevator we can get to that side of this floor faster. Let's go."

Clint flies out the door in pursuit of said elevator and Tony is right behind him.

Bruce sighs, but stands up. "I guess this in inevitable, Captain. Shall we?"

"Geeze, do we even have a choice anymore?" Steve says resigned, heading toward the door as well.

* * *

At last on the other side of Natasha's suite, Tony, Clint, Steve, and Bruce are making their way down the hallway leading to her personal training area.

"Now everyone quiet. I want to catch them off guard. There'll be no way lying out of it this time."

No one says anything, so Clint leads the small group to the edge of the gym's entry.

Natasha's voice could be heard sounding an ounce strained. "You can be a little more dominate, you know? Pin me down if you want to. "

Thor's hearty laugh echoed across the halls. "I thought you were wary of the bruising, Lady Natasha?"

"Honestly, those are half the fun. It's explaining that's the not so fun part." A rustle is heard followed by Natasha's own laughter. "There, that's how I like it."

Thor seems amused. "Verily, you have fire in your blood, much alike my friend and confidant, Lady Sif of Asgard."

"Oh?" Natasha pauses to grunt but then adds with labored breath, "Do you and Lady Sif do this too?"

Clint , along with the others, were still in the hall listening. "I've heard all I could hear of this." He murmurs under his breath. Now looking infuriated as he surges through the doorway to face the gym and its occupants, he begins to shout, "We've caught you in the act, so now what do you have to say for…"

But the moment he walks in, he spots Thor with Natasha on the wrestling mat. She had just thrust up a knee to jab the god square in the gut. Thor takes it good naturally but lets her go smiling. At Clint and the others' entrance, they both start and scramble to their feet. Clint's former anger dissipates and the accusations he was about to make dies on his lips.

Tony, coming up behind Clint, takes in both of their appearances with raised brows. Natasha's in her training gear and her hands are wrapped like she's about to box. Thor is wearing sweat pants and a thin tee, his hair tied back casually like he's also prepared for a workout. Natasha's drenched in sweat, but Thor is only slightly flushed. Tony also notices the water bottles sitting off to their side.

"What…what exactly is going on here?" Clint asks in a small voice, just as confused at the scene before him as Tony.

"Dammit." Natasha swears as she grimaces, snatching the wraps off one hand and throwing it to the floor.

"I fear all things must come to light now, Lady Natasha." Thor says gently.

"What things?" Steve breaks the span of silence consisting of downcast eyes and questioning stares. "What is it that you two have been up to for so long?"

Thor further encourages Natasha,"You have no need to be ashamed. I am certain they will understand."

She sighs and looks as if she's about to accept her fate.

"Ashamed?" Clint trains his eyes on Natasha once more. "Nat, what's the big secret?"

"Look guys, I know these last couple of weeks you have all noticed I haven't been in the best of moods. I've also been losing my focus."

Everyone around the room nods except Thor.

"Well, it's because I've been so frustrated and angry and stressed about some personal stuff."

"Personal stuff?" Tony pries.

"Yea, just stuff from my past and even things from the present that's been bothering me. I needed an outlet to clear those pent up feelings out of my head. But I'm not the touchy feely type, so my best source of relief is a sparring session. I wanted a partner who was a lot stronger than me, someone powerful who would give me a real challenge, and I didn't want to worry about hurting them much. I know you're my usual partner, Barton, but I needed something else…"

Everyone is quiet so she continues where she left off," Steve was the perfect candidate, but he's had reservations against sparring too intensely in the past, with me being a woman and all. I wouldn't have asked Stark to don the suit if he was the last person on earth, since I'm sure he'd be a cocky douche about it."

"I take offense to that."

She smirks for his benefit, but goes on, "So that day a few weeks ago, when me and Thor shared an elevator, we made an agreement that he'd let me spar with him… give him all I had. Work out all that pent up energy and frustration." She nods in gratitude at Thor and added no more to her explanation.

"So sparring, that's all you two have been doing?" Tony sounds skeptical. "What the hell! Why didn't you just tell us?"

"Because it was my own business, Stark. And honestly, I guess… maybe I was a bit… embarrassed. I am sorry I had to lie, but it was _my_ personal crap and I didn't want it spreading around that I needed to do all this just because I couldn't deal with my baggage alone."

"That's nothing to be embarrassed about." Steve said softly. "That's just being human."

She met Steve's gaze and had to smile.

"Okay hold up. Just sparring!? " Clint began, still perplexed. "How could that explain … what about the freak storms, and your hair being fried, and the bruises?"

"Oh that…" Natasha chuckles, "I had Thor summon some of his powers so he could seem threatening when I evaded him. He just threw a little lighting here and there for show, but it didn't ever really hit me."

"He must have hit you at least once by the smell of your hair before." Mentioned Tony.

"No, that was an accident. I guess he was still a bit charged when I tackled him, so I got zapped a little. Don't worry it didn't hurt it only tingled. It was actually exhilarating in a way."

Thor looks ashamed but provides, "Lady Natasha told me some time afterwards that it was best I control myself more. Her appearance and the storms overhead were becoming quite obvious."

"Hell yea they were." Tony said, laughing.

"But the bruises?" Clint continued, not relenting.

" Don't be so surprised, Barton. I like being manhandled a bit, that's no secret. I wanted to feel _something_ so I told him to pin me a little roughly whenever he could or at least block my hits."

"Oh…" Is all he says.

"Well, I didn't want him just standing there as I repeatedly attacked him. That's never any fun. Though actually this whole arrangement became so much fun for me that even after I lost the bad mood, I still wanted to spar every day. I think it's been distracting me more than it should have."

"Yea, your concept of fun is a bit skewed, Natasha." Tony comments.

Clint seems to finally let go of the breath he's been holding. "Oh thank God. We thought…well Tony thought… I thought… Well it doesn't matter, but it's just a relief this is all over." He playfully puts Natasha in a one armed choke hold and then walks up to the Thunder god to pat him on the back.

Thor beams at Clint, happy for the tension to finally become erased. Then Natasha suddenly says, "Wait… what exactly did you guys assume? I mean I get it you were probably on to the fact we were up to something together, but I never really knew what everybody else suspected."

She looks around the room and everyone gets really quiet and flustered looking.

"Wow… you mean they thought we were… Thor?" Quickly catching on, Natasha turns to Thor who looks equally distressed, avoiding any eye contact. "You mean you _knew_ they thought me and you were…" She gestures at Thor. "Clint is that why…. You figured we were… Ha!" Natasha's broken sentences ends in riotous laughter. Everyone just watches her uncomfortably.

"Oh man that's a good one. I can't believe you all thought _that_ of all things. I mean, I guess I should have realized the situation looked weird, but honestly…. Wow, yea I need a drink." She says with an amused quirk of her lips. She was still chuckling while she grabbed a towel on the bench nearby and exited down the hall.

Tony gives a slight cough into the laughter that erupted, once Clint turned to point at him declaring, "I am never listening to any of your wild dirty-minded notions ever again!"


End file.
